PickleJar

Stuck in an endless group chat trying to decide where to eat or what to do? PickleJar makes group decision-making effortless, fair, and fun! Submit ideas, vote anonymously, and get instant results.

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Inspiration

We've all been in a frustrating situation where no one in a group can agree on what to do. It isn't very encouraging to take the initiative to make plans, just to get your ideas rejected by your friend. Endless messages, indecisive friends, and plans that never materialize—it’s a common struggle. We wanted to build a simple, fun, and fair way for groups to make decisions without the usual hassle. PickleJar was born from the idea of eliminating group decision paralysis while keeping the process engaging and democratic.

What it does

PickleJar helps groups quickly and fairly decide on activities through anonymous idea submission and voting. No accounts, no debates—just a simple link where users can:

  1. Create a "PickleJar" – Set a deadline and generate a unique voting link.
  2. Submit Ideas – Participants anonymously suggest activities.
  3. Vote – Users distribute votes among the submitted ideas.
  4. Reveal the Decision – When voting ends, the top-voted idea is displayed.

Whether it’s choosing a restaurant, planning a trip, or organizing a game night, PickleJar takes the stress out of decision-making.

How we built it

We developed PickleJar as a web app using:

  • Prototyping: Figma
  • Backend: Python using Django
  • Frontend: React
  • Database: PostgreSQL with Supabase

Challenges we ran into

  • Finding an idea that not only works but excites the entire team
  • Navigating the quirks of different development environments
  • Bridging knowledge gaps when integrating various components
  • Balancing our time wisely to meet the project deadline without sacrificing quality

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Learning new frameworks in a short period and applying them effectively
  • Building the project completely from scratch
  • Pushing through the night together to make our vision a reality

What we learned

  • Always flesh out your ideas thoroughly before jumping into development—it saves time and energy
  • Your existing knowledge might feel insufficient at times, but it’s your best starting point for growth
  • ChatGPT is a lifesaver for troubleshooting and brainstorming

What's next for PickleJar

  • Finalize the timer functionality to automatically shift from the submission stage to the voting stage
  • Generate private, shareable web pages for created "PickleJars"
  • Enhance our frontend to match our Figma prototype for a smoother user experience
  • Experiment with advanced scoring algorithms and machine learning to make activity selection smarter and more personalized
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